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Shining Light on Farm & Food Policy for 20 Years.
Friday, April 19, 2024
School meal directors got a break this month when Congress approved a multi-agency appropriations package that maintains current limits on sodium in school meals and gives schools the option to serve low-fat flavored milk.
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack highlighted the importance of ensuring schoolchildren have enough good food and nutrition to fuel their learning and previewed the upcoming White House hunger conference at a Washington, D.C., elementary school Friday.
House Democrats advanced bills that would expand child nutrition assistance and require the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue rules for protecting workers from excessive heat.
A shortage of food delivery drivers and warehouse workers is forcing schools to streamline lunchtime options as orders fail to arrive on time for meal preparation or wholesale manufacturers simply can't provide items schools need.
Universal free school meals, launched at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and extended through the current school year, improved collaborations between school nutrition departments and district leaders and increased student participation in many locations.
The United States committed $10 billion over five years toward domestic and international food security, and ag industry groups expressed support for the United States' new "productivity coalition" as the United Nations Food Systems Summit convened Thursday.
Congressional Democrats will use this week to build their case for two major priorities, a multi-trillion dollar climate and infrastructure package, and a child nutrition reauthorization bill that could be used to increase the number of kids getting free meals.
